VOLOS

LIVING THE ‘GOOD LIFE’ A STONE'S THROW FROM PELION

Volos, a modern city with mythical roots, welcomes you with tsipouro, sea breeze and the promise of an ideal city-break near Pelion

Today’s Volos was once ancient Iolkos, the city of the Argonauts. A welcoming and charming city in Thessaly, at the foot of Mt Pelion, it embraces the Pagasitic Gulf, leaving you with an unforgettable feeling. Volos’ culinary tradition will be the star of your visit, and the flavours you’ll taste here at the tsipouradika, will remain etched in your memory forever.

Old-fashioned neighbourhoods juxtaposed against modern architecture and a youthful energy created by the thousands of students, give it a unique identity. You’ll discover it in the industrial buildings, museums, shopping centres and exhibition spaces. You’ll feel it as you walk along the waterfront, teeming with people, enjoying tsipouradika, pastry shops, bars and historic buildings. Volos is a city by the sea, buzzing with beauty, freedom and life, day and night.

What to do in Volos

Tsipouradika: raise a glass to gastronomy and traditionHospitable Volos welcomes you like a proper host: tsipouro (schnapps-like firewater) and meze! Travellers on their way to Pelion, students, mariners sailing the Aegean, or men and women in the city for business, everyone stops here for the tsipouradika. You’ll find them in every corner of the city, picturesque and authentic.

At lunchtime they fill up with people and you, too, can take part in the local ritual. Spetsofai (sausages with peppers), wild artichokes, cuttlefish with wild fennel, more than 40 traditional small-plate surprises make their way onto your table, accompanied by the local drink, which is served in individual 25ml bottles. It is a culinary institution that dates back to the 1930s.

Walk along the waterfrontThe meeting point for locals and visitors: the beach. It is one of the most beautiful strolls in Greece. Start from the sculpture of Argo, the symbol of the city, and continue until you reach the imposing Papastratou building and the outdoor sculptures. Enjoy a leisurely coffee while watching the waves, take a bicycle ride, have a cocktail while admiring the neoclassical building of the National Bank of Greece and the Achilleon theatre. Walk along the Kordoni – the promenade – and become one with the sea.

Beachfront funOn the cobblestone streets of Ermou, Kontaratou and Ogl, and at Agios Nikolaos Square, Volos is buzzing with life, day and night. Coffee, cocktails, food, loud and live music – all will get you into the rhythm.

Industrial designThe old industrial buildings of Volos (52 in total) have taken on a new identity. Ceramics and tobacco factories, blacksmith forges and flour mills, now all house multiplexes, cinemas and restaurants. Tsalapatos is one of the most outstanding examples of industrial architecture in Europe.

Images of Volos

Hidden gems of Volos

Dimini and SeskloDiscover these interesting prehistoric settlements, just a stone’s throw from Volos. They are the most interesting attractions in the area.

Evaristo de Chirico StationThis railway station is an architectural masterpiece. Designed by Evaristo de Chirico, father of the famous painter (Giorgio de Chirico), who constructed the Moutzouris railroad line in Pelion.

A walk in the PagasiticJust a few kilometres outside Volos go for a coffee or a tsipouro at the seaside resorts of the Pagasitic Gulf: Agria, Kato Gatzea and Kala Nera. And if you want to sample some of the local delicacies, Volos is ready to share the secrets of its delicious cuisine.

Domotel Xenia Volos

Domotel Xenia Volos, carrying a glorious history, has been totally renovated, truly reborn, maintaining the aspect and glory of a hotel myth intact. It is a distinguished hotel, with a versatile personality that not only fulfills the guests’ needs but also predicts their secret desires. A unique location right in front of the sea, with breathtaking views and enchanting atmosphere.